We talked about tutors we’d like to approach to come and spend a day with us Olive is going to get in touch with Amanda Hislop, Cas Holmes and Alice Fox to see what their availability is and what teaching they could offer. Preference to focus on design and concepts rather than pure technique.

We discussed exhibitions. Two options to consider:

ICHF Sewing For Pleasure (probably 2018 or 2019). Jill will sound out. Anyone visiting the NEC show in March could take the opportunity to recce the gallery spaces.

The Big Textile Show, Leicester, dates not confirmed at the moment but likely Oct 2017.

Possible theme - Calke Abbey. This NT property will reopen for visitors in March if anyone fancies making a visit to seek inspiration; alternately Google images would be a good research tool.

Our December meeting was our annual master class and Ann Marie Cadman led us in a fabulously creative and challenging day.

We were treated to a closeup look at Ann Marie's work and were wowed by multi layered abstract art textiles.

We enjoyed a demonstration of the techniques we could use and the order in which they were likely to be most effective before we were let loose to be creative.

Some of us worked on a small sample to start with just to get the idea of what we could do.

Here are three stages in my first sample. Proof that it's not an easy way to create a fabric surface and that a great deal of practice is needed!

We had the shortest stop for lunch ever, as we were all keen to get to most out of the day as we could. Ann Marie was a very generous tutor, full of suggestions to keep us on track and with ideas for coping with mistakes too.

These are some images of what we were working on towards the end of the day.

About the group

We are mostly members of Contemporary Quilt, one of the Quilters Guild specialist groups, but we welcome all who wish to extend their skills and share their expertise in the textile art field.

We meet on the second Monday of each month in nearby Kislingbury as a mutual support and self-tutoring group.

Our members all have different specialist skills and approaches to design and contemporary quilt making, some approach the creative process from an art base and from an experiential perspective; each producing very different and varied 2 and 3D textiles ranging from traditional bed quilts to art textiles and wall art.

Our members say they value participation in the group because it is:

Creative

Diverse

Experimental

Generous

Friendly

Innovative

Energetic and provides a forum for talented creative textile artists to share ideas.